#China #Shanghai #Film Industry #Shanghai Film Market #International Film Festival

Shanghai International Film & TV Market Sets New Global Participation Record

The Shanghai International Film & TV Market, held in conjunction with the 28th Shanghai International Film Festival and the 31st Shanghai TV Festival, concluded on June 24 at the Shanghai Exhibition Center. This integrated marketplace served as a strategic hub for film, television, and digital platform professionals to foster cross-border cooperation and industrial exchange in feature films, drama series, miniseries, documentaries, animation, and audiovisual technologies.

This year, the international participation reached an all-time high, with approximately 200 exhibitors, including 75 from 15 countries and regions, marking a 50% increase from the previous year. Official delegations from Brazil, Russia, South Korea, and Spain featured their own exhibitors, while institutions from Jordan, Kazakhstan, Georgia, and Croatia presented sector policies and cooperation opportunities. The Royal Film Commission of Jordan also joined the Belt and Road Film Festival Alliance during the market, expanding the network to 51 countries and 58 institutional members. Verified buyers hailed from six major regions, representing significant media groups, public broadcasters, and regional streaming platforms.

The TV festival equally emphasized emerging online audiovisual formats. Its opening day focused on youth content creation, including workshops on AIGC content development and microdrama, while specialized forums explored ways to create high-quality microdramas in the AI era. The festival also highlighted Shanghai's efforts to support the development and international expansion of the microdrama industry.

Digital enhancements have optimized the efficiency of finding business partners. A newly launched online meeting reservation system enabled exhibitors and buyers to schedule individual meetings in advance, generating nearly 300 requests for cross-border meetings shortly after its release. A wide array of industry events concentrated on emerging technologies and new business models in the audiovisual sector. The AI BACKLOT tech forum analyzed cross-border coproduction, virtual production workflows, and AI-driven visual creation. The International Promotion Pavilion for Chinese Series attracted significant interest in short-format Chinese content, with platforms from Southeast Asia, India, and Europe exploring licensing and distribution opportunities. A global trends workshop held on June 21 brought together producers from the UK, India, and Malaysia to discuss the international demand for Chinese microdramas and emerging AI-driven production models.

Chen Guo, General Manager of the Shanghai International Film and Television Event Center, stated that the market is designed to foster mutual empowerment, providing international platforms for Chinese content and young creators, while opening broader channels for global cooperation and resource exchange.

As the only top-tier film festival accredited by FIAPF in China, the SIFF received a record 4,100 submissions from 125 countries and regions this year, of which 82% were world premieres. This underscores the growing international influence of the festival and Shanghai's crucial role as a center for collaboration within the global audiovisual industry.